City chosen for ‘Placemaking’ pilot project

TUPELO — The National Trust for Historic Preservation and Project for Public Spaces (PPS) has chosen Tupelo for a pilot demonstration project that will operate on the principles of Placemaking to revitalize the Mississippi Main Street community.

The project will engage a wide range of Tupelo stakeholders, community members and the Mississippi Department of Transportation to enliven its Main Street corridor, a state highway which links downtown to the birthplace of Elvis Presley and other public spaces and local destinations.

“Creating a sense of place is critical to not only keeping a community alive, but thriving,” said Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The city was selected through a competitive selection process in which each applicant city or town, in partnership with its state Main Street organization, outlined transportation proposals that could spur economic revitalization and community development. Working collaboratively with Mississippi’s Department of Transportation and executed by the Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association and the Mississippi Main Street Association, the project will demonstrate new opportunities to engage state DOTs and local Main Street programs.